


Up There With the Best of the Best

by RogueFoxPaws



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Fighter Pilots, Top Gun AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-02-24 23:41:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22126411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RogueFoxPaws/pseuds/RogueFoxPaws
Summary: The Navy calls it Fighter Weapons School.  The flyers call it Top Gun.  Poe Dameron and Finn Calrissian are the USS Falcon's two best pilots and are sent to Top Gun to perfect the art of air combat.  What Poe doesn't expect is to be won over by his new instructor.  Can Poe and Finn beat out the competition and secure their place on top?  If only Poe could keep his focus on the skies...
Relationships: Poe Dameron & Rey, Poe Dameron/Rey
Comments: 14
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

“Nah man, cereal is technically soup. I mean, think about it. It’s a meal that’s mainly liquid.”

“But it’s _cold_ , Finn. Soup can’t be cold.”

“Tell that to the weird cucumber soup-”

“Why the hell do you know so much about soups?”

A crackle came through Poe’s radio in his helmet and an annoyed voice followed shortly after. “If I have to hear you two keep going on about damn soup, I will make sure that I am sick during the next patrol and send Smudge and Nix in our place instead. So please, _shut up_.”

Poe shot back with a short laugh. “Aw, come on, Oddy, don’t put us through that. They’d wreck everything before we even took off.”

“Exactly. So let’s just stay focused and get back soon. I’ve got a date with a pretty lady on the phone tonight.”

“Whatever you say. We’ll cover you.”

Above the ocean, two Growler jets were finishing up their patrol. The early sunset reflected on the water below and the sky was turning from a soft blue to a brilliant orange. Reports of possible enemy strike teams had come in two days before, and every day since then, patrol teams were being sent out to scan the skies. It had everyone on high alert.

Poe Dameron, top pilot on the _USS Falcon_ , was one of four pilots assigned to today’s patrol. Known for his unbelievably fast reflexes and quick maneuvers, Poe was always the first choice when it came to assignments - especially now when time was of the essence. Too often, however, Poe’s “flyboy” ego would get the best of him on the ground and more times than he liked to say, it would cost him a night in the medical wing with a broken nose.

In life and in the air, Poe never flew without his right-hand man, Felix Enton “Finn” Calrissian - the only other pilot (no, the only other _person_ ) Poe trusted to get him back safe and keep him on his toes. Poe met Finn while in high school. What started as a day in detention ended up becoming a tight friendship. Upon graduation, the two joined the Navy and had managed to impress all of their commanding officers with their combined skills and knowledge. It was only a matter of good timing when the two were finally transferred to the _Falcon_ , quickly causing a lot of talk among the others.

Now, they were joined on their patrol by pilots Ogden “Oddy” Muva and Luis Loyd “Lulo” L’ampar. Oddy and Poe always had a tendency to pick at one another. Oddy enjoyed getting under Poe’s skin, while Poe got a kick out of seeing how far he could push Oddy’s patience.

Poe was throwing a wide grin to Oddy on his left when the radar on his dashboard pinged.

“Finn, I’ve got a bogey. Someone’s coming to crash our party.”

“I see him. I can’t get a read on what we’re looking at, though.”

“Oddy,” Poe said, looking to his left, “we’ve got something. About 4 miles ahead.”

“We picked it up, too,” Oddy’s voice was firm. Poe thought he detected a hint of nerves, but passed the thought to the side.

“Stay close. If they’re here to stir up shit, we’ll make sure to tell them loud and clear it’s not happening here.”

Finn’s voice came over the radio next. “Poe, they’re coming in fast. 3 miles ahead.”

“Dameron to _Falcon_ , we’ve picked up an unidentified aircraft coming at us. About 3 miles ahead now. Requesting to engage on hostile behavior.”

“ _Falcon to Dameron squad, take it easy for now. We’re reading steady approach. Only engage if attacked, repeat, only if attacked._ ”

Poe let out an aggravated huff of breath. He responded, “Copy that _Falcon_. Keep eyes on us.”

“ _We’ve got you, Dameron._ ”

Poe’s hand was steady on the control stick as he led the team forward. When the sun began to set below the horizon, Poe spotted two black shapes out ahead of them.

“Dameron to _Falcon_ , I think we’re about to meet our bogeys.”

“ _Copy that, Dameron. You’re cleared for reconnaissance and defensive maneuvers._ ”

“Uh, Poe?” Finn nervously shook his head as he looked from his own monitor then ahead over Poe’s shoulder. “Remember those 313s McCauley talked about in first recruitment?”

“Yeah, what about ‘em?”

“I think they finally figured out how to make ‘em fly. Because we’ve got two of them headed right for us.”

“ _Shit._ ”

And suddenly, Poe felt a rush of adrenaline in his arms and chest as he recalled what his logistics Lieutenant told them before. “ _Stealth fighters. That’s what they’re planning. Able to fly under your radar and make you think you’re lookin’ at somethin’ else. And then, just as you see the black appear in your eyes, it’s too late. Because they’ll already be locked onto you and pouring the firepower out. The only thing that’ll beat ‘em is speed. You have to outrun them. Outfly them._ ”

The first one blew by the underside of the two Growlers. The second one sped past them overhead.

“Poe, we’re gonna have to be quick or we’re not making it back.”

“I know, I know. Oddy, Lulo, stay in scout positions. I’ll make them follow me and give ‘em a good scare.”

“Copy that.” Oddy pulled back and steadied his jet just behind Poe’s left wing.

Finn looked over his shoulder and his voice called out over their radios, “They’re coming back around. Vertical position, coming in hot.”

The two black enemy jets came at them with a vengeance. Poe knew he had to act fast.

“Poe, they’re on our tails!” There was no denying the panic in Oddy’s voice this time. “We can’t shake ‘em!”

“Easy, Oddy. We can outrun them. Get on my right and take that one that’s tailing you out for a joy ride. I’ll take care of this asshole.”

Poe watched as Oddy and Lulo dropped and flew off to his right. There wasn’t any time to watch, though, as the other jet was still right behind him and Finn.

“Finn, how are we on fuel?”

“We’re fine, why does that matter now?”

“I mean, are we good for a jump?”

“A jump?! Poe are you crazy?”

“Do we have enough?!”

“Yeah, but just for one.”

“Hang on tight.”

Poe clicked two different switches up and checked the readings on his monitors. His fingers gripped tight around the control stick as his left hand went to a small sliding switch beside his arm. He waited a moment… one breath… two breaths… three breaths… and suddenly he pushed the jet forward with a jolt. Both pilots were thrown against their seats, the force of the acceleration causing a pain to rise in Poe’s chest.

Finn tapped on Poe’s seat in front of him. “P-Poe- he’s- far behi-hind. L-let- off-”

Poe let the jet run wide open a breath longer before he pulled the control stick back, but neither had time to even gasp before he had the jet aiming for the ocean.

“Get ready, Finn. We’ll be feeling some serious Gs in about two seconds.”

“Can’t wait.”

As if he was simply turning the steering wheel on a car, Poe took the nose of the jet back around behind them. For a moment, the ocean skimmed below them, the reflection of the sunset rippling across the clear canopy. It was like being on a roller coaster, going into a loop, but instead of sitting upright, the loop was taken head-first while laying on your back. Between the sudden change in g-force and the adrenaline of pulling off such a maneuver, Poe felt his arms and legs tremble before pulling back up.

And the tail of the black 313 jet was directly in front of them.

Poe pushed the Growler forward until the nose was only a few yards away. His thumb hovered over the trigger for the guns. One small movement, just a simple threat, and he would start firing. If this was it… If this was the moment to engage-

But it never came. The black jet slowly ascended and rolled gently to the right.

Poe laughed. It was a combination of relief and smugness. “There goes the first one. He’s heading back home. Oddy, what about yours? You got ‘em running back to mommy yet?”

There was no response.

“Oddy! Oddy, do you copy?”

“Y-yeah. Poe, I can’t shake him. He’s determined. I can’t- I can’t get him off me.”

“Hang on, Oddy, we’re coming.”

“Hard left,” Finn instructed, “I see them. They’ve got a persistent one.”

Poe gently brought the jet around to the left and was able to catch up with the other two. Sure enough, Poe could see Oddy and Lulo being tailed by the remaining 313.

“Not today, pal.”

The jet pressed on and in the last moment before being swept up in the wash of the enemy, Poe sent the Growler into a roll. He let the Growler run a little faster until he was lined up with aircraft underneath them. Looking down, Poe and Finn could see the pilot in the cockpit. When the pilot inside noticed that there was a whole aircraft above him, and said aircraft was _inverted and looking directly at him_ , his motions became panicked and jerky. Poe could feel Finn rustling around behind him.

“Say cheese, asshole.” Finn took a couple of quick pictures with the digital camera he kept in his flight suit. Poe joined him in a loud fit of laughter as he brought the Growler right-side-up and followed behind the black 313. It soon joined it’s fellow squadmate as the two headed back in the direction they initially approached from.

“You’re good, Oddy. I think they got the message loud and clear.” Poe and Finn flew just to the left of Oddy and Lulo, giving them a thumbs-up.

The radio was silent. Oddy stared straight ahead. Poe could see Lulo behind him, looking over his shoulder, his head moving as he talked.

“Oddy, you copy?”

No response.

“ODDY!”

“Poe.” It was Lulo’s voice in his ear this time. His voice was shaky. “I think that close call has got Oddy all shook up. We’re descending.”

“Oddy, I know you can hear me, buddy. Listen,” Poe spoke slowly and slightly softer than he normally did on missions. “You’re okay. You’re here, with us. It’s alright. Just listen to me. Keep on my right, okay? I need someone to watch my right wing, and you can do it. You can do it, you hear me? Follow me back. Just follow me and keep tight. We’re going home.”

Poe led them back to the _Falcon_ , landing with a little more urgency than usual. Ground crews flooded around the four of them as they climbed out of the cockpits. Just as Poe turned towards one of his crew mates, Oddy ripped his helmet off and was violently sick. Poe could just barely see a figure push past the crowd of people and head for the stairs to the operations deck.

\---

The hot water in Poe’s shower was more relaxing than normal, the water seeming to wash away his stress and nervousness and carrying it down the drain. He changed into his uniform, the starch white set decorated with his various pins and medals, and made his way for the mess hall. Just as he was eyeing a seat at the end of one of the long tables, his sandwich and water in hand, one of the Petty Officers approached him.

“Lieutenant Dameron. Captain Dodonna is asking that you come speak to him.”

Trying to hide the disappointment, Poe nodded. “Thank you, sir.”

Finn joined Poe in waiting outside Dodonna’s office. Neither spoke, unsure exactly what they were being requested for. Just as Poe wondered what disciplinary action he was facing next on the scale, the door to Dodonna’s office opened and Oddy walked out.

“Hey Oddy,” Poe greeted.

Oddy was startled when Poe spoke and jumped back. He gasped, his breathing heavy as he stared between the two. Finally, his eyes took on a sad look and he dropped his shoulders.

“I’m sorry.” He shook his head and walked down the hall.

“What’s wrong with him?” Finn asked.

Poe shrugged.

“Dameron, Calrissian. Come in, please.”

Poe led the way inside Dodonna’s office. He and Finn stood in front of his desk, hands behind their backs, staring ahead into the dark oak bookshelf. Dodonna’s office was decorated like one would expect it to be. A desk with a rolling chair, various folders of paperwork and charts strewn across said desk, some even stacked on the floor beside it, a couple pictures of family members on the bookshelf they stared into, and behind them, a dark leather loveseat. Dodonna stood between his desk and his chair and eyed the two pilots as they entered.

“Gentlemen.” He stopped and looked between the two of them, taking a moment to look at Poe’s insignia’s before continuing, “In case you two wanted to know, Muva and L’ampar were our next two pilots to be sent for additional training. They had worked hard. However, after today’s mission, Muva has resigned and turned in his wings. Stated it was for personal reasons. Due to such a circumstance, L’ampar cannot attend this training without a partner, so while we train someone to match up to his skills, we need to send two more pilots to this training.”

Dodonna moved out from behind the desk and paced behind Poe and Finn. It wasn’t hot in the office, but Poe could feel heat rising into his neck and up along his jaw. His nerves worked overtime as Dodonna continued to speak.

“Now, you’re probably thinking, ‘Please, sir, not more training.’ But let me tell you right now, get that thought out of your head because you need clear thinking from this point forward. This is not a vacation, gentlemen. This is not a five-star getaway. This is where the best-of-the-best go only to be broken down and thrown back in the sky to learn how to fly on their own. You two…” Dodonna stopped when he was beside Finn’s left shoulder. His aged eyes moved from Finn to Poe, and Poe could swear that the old Captain squinted when he looked at him.

“You two are going to Top Gun. Fighter Weapons School.”

Poe felt like the air had been punched out of his lungs. _TOP GUN?! Oh shit, this is really happening. THIS IS IT. This is really happening!_

“You will depart at 0600 tomorrow morning. Report to Commander Connix on deck for further instructions. Understood?”

Poe and Finn responded together, both clear and firm, “Sir, yes, sir.”

“Good. Dismissed.”

The two pilots gave a quick nod and sharply turned to the door to leave. Just as Finn swung the door open, Dodonna spoke once more.

“And gentlemen,” a small smile crept into the corner of his mouth, “make the _Falcon_ proud.”

They both gave a nod of acknowledgement and smiled back at him.

“Sir, yes, sir.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! Thanks for joining me in this fun adventure! Top Gun is one of my favorite movies and I was just thinking the other day how well the Star Wars characters would fit into the story! And here we are!
> 
> I am by no means an expert on fighter jets, so if I've messed up terminology or something, I'm sorry.
> 
> You can click [here](https://www.boeing.com/defense/ea-18g-growler/) to see the Growlers that Poe and Finn fly.  
>  You can click [here](https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Senior-Iranian-commander-Iran-able-to-detect-stealth-aircraft-597082) to see the Qaher-313s that the enemies fly.
> 
> Again, thank you for reading and stay tuned for the next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe and Finn start their time at Top Gun on an... interesting note.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special shoutout to lettersfromnowhere for being a HUGE supporter of this and letting me bounce around ideas in conversation!

Poe and Finn arrived on the base in the late morning hours. The sun was high in the sky and waves of heat were rolling off the asphalt. Poe felt like the highest cloud in the sky as he raced by on Black One, his custom-modified Yamaha bike that had a personal touch of orange trim added to it. After they had landed, he met his dad in a nearby town to pick up the bike and not only was he glad to once again have his main method of getting around, but he was also thankful he could give his dad a hug and visit with him before throwing himself into the next eight weeks of training.

Now, Poe pushed the bike close to top speed, feeling the wind through his dark curls, the sunlight reflecting off his dark aviator sunglasses as a Growler jet similar to the one he flew on the Falcon took off from the runway to his right. Even on the ground, his senses were heightened, his emotions excited and running wild. He never could get enough of the feeling of adrenaline running through him, whether it was in a cockpit or on the bike.

Shortly after, Finn had met him at the steps of the small house where they would be staying for the next two months. Orientation and First Briefing were scheduled for 1300 hours, so the two had just enough time to change into their white uniforms, grab a quick bite of food, and take their seats in the training room before other pilots filed into the room. Idle conversations and random fits of laughter filled the room as they waited. Poe was introducing himself to a pilot called “Striker” when he suddenly got the feeling of eyes staring right into him. Turning around over his left shoulder, he made eye contact with a pilot two rows back, his eyes dark as coal and his black hair tousled around his ears and coming up under his jaw. His features were sharp, determined, and cold, as if he could lash out at any second and simply go back to his stone-chiseled stare. Poe was never one to know a stranger, but this guy might just be the first person he would make a point to avoid. Sitting to the right of the black-headed guy was a pilot with slicked-back red hair. Even sitting down, Poe could tell he was slightly shorter than the guy staring at him now. The red-haired one was laughing and jabbing his dark-demeanored friend in the ribs, trying to get him to join in a conversation. Poe swallowed hard before turning back around.

Finn leaned his chin down and quietly filled Poe in. “That’s Ben Solo, ‘Ren’ as he’s known in the skies. A real dickhead, if you want my honest opinion. Which is a shame because his parents are some of the best people you’ll ever know.”

“Who are his parents?” Poe asked, joining in with Finn’s low tone.

Finn had opened his mouth to answer, but before his answer came out, an older pilot entered the room and greeted them.

“Pilots, welcome.” He walked to the front of the room with his hands behind his back. He stopped in front of the whiteboard and turned to face them all. He continued with a small smile. “I am Captain Antilles, but some of you may know me as ‘Wedge.’ I will be one of your many instructors over the next few weeks and it is a privilege to get to know each of you. As you probably know, Top Gun was created to preserve the art of air combat maneuver, or ‘ACM.’ We keep our kill ratios high and our enemies keep their distance. I’d now like to introduce you to the top commanding officer here at Top Gun, one of the finest fighter pilots you’ll ever meet. Commander Luke Skywalker, call sign ‘Jedi.’”

A second older pilot walked into the room and joined Wedge at the front. His hair had many strands of grey through it and his bright blue eyes, though clearly aged, were focused on each of them in the room. The many years of flying clearly had no effect on their sharp attention.

“All of you here in the room are in the top 1% of all naval aviators. The elite. The ‘best of the best’ as they say.” Commander Skywalker paced in front of Captain Antilles as he spoke. Suddenly, he stopped. When he did, those blue eyes stared straight at Poe. “We’ll make you better.”

In that moment, Poe felt like a child who had been caught by his father digging through something that he should not have been. There was something about Commander Skywalker’s expression towards him that made Poe feel like he was looking at someone he should recognize, but he couldn’t quite remember where he knew the man’s face from. Poe continued to follow Commander Skywalker as he walked between the rows of desks.

“You’ll fly at least two combat missions a day, attend classes in between, and have evaluations of your performance. Each combat sequence will bring a different challenge. Each encounter much more difficult than the last. We’ll teach you how to take a Growler to the edge of the atmosphere and back again, all while staying one step ahead in the game. We’re not here to make elected officials, or create policies, but we are here to sharpen our tools of enforcing these policies. We’re not at war, but we must always act as if we are.” Commander Skywalker walked to the back of the room and was focused on a plaque mounted on the wall. The bright red and blue seal had slipped past Poe’s attention earlier, but he completely turned around now to get a better look.

“The Top Gun Trophy,” Commander Skywalker explained, “is awarded to the top pilot in each class. And the winner has the option to come back as a Top Gun instructor.” He walked once more towards the front of the room.

Poe couldn’t pull his gaze away from the plaque. It was as if his new life’s goal was staring him right in the face and all he had to do was just stand up and touch it. He wanted to see his name on the plaque so badly, and he was willing to fight to do just that.

“Dameron, is it?”

Hearing his name, Poe whipped his head around so fast his neck popped. Rubbing along the spot, he replied, “Yes, sir.”

Commander Skywalker eyed him. “Think you’re going to be the one who’s name is on that plaque?”

“Yes, sir. I do.”

“That’s very arrogant of you, considering the company you’re in.”

Poe didn’t have to turn around to know that Ren’s eyes were drilling holes into the back of his head. He swallowed hard and nodded at the Commander. “Yes, sir.”

A grin spread across the Commander’s face and he let out a small chuckle. “I like that in a pilot. Keeps you on your toes. Remember, though, at the end of the day, we’re all on the same team. In the rules of combat, there are no points for second place.” He scanned the room once more and nodded sharply. “Dismissed.”

The rest of the room came alive as everyone rose out of their seats. Poe and Finn sat still as the last pilot left the room, the two of them making sure to avoid Ren.

After thanking the Commander and the Captain, Finn led Poe out in the hallway with an arm slung over his shoulders.

“Listen, man, there’s a party at the country club tonight to welcome the new class. Duster from the Interceptor was telling me about it before you got here. You in?”

Poe rolled his eyes and scoffed. “Finn, you mean to tell me that fine pilots like ourselves have been invited to a party at a fancy country club with drinks and lots of pretty, single girls?” He shot a grin over to his wingman. “Hell yeah, I’m in.”

\---

“And then- oh man, then, he had to walk the entire base in his bath towel only to find his clothes blowing in the wind from the flagpole. Pretty sure everyone saw a Dameron moon that night, right, Poe?”

Poe threw back his last bit of beer as Finn roared in laughter with other pilots in their class. They had struck up a quick friendship with two others, one Temmin “Snap” Wexley and the other Jessika “Echo” Pava. Stories of basic training started floating around the group and it wasn’t long before Finn offered up one of theirs.

“Yeah, not my best moment,” Poe said, looking down and shaking his head. A smug smile played across his lips as he added, “But I’m pretty sure it wasn’t Wrigley’s best moment either. After I finally managed to get my pants back on, I busted up _his_ nose for once. And damn, it sure felt good.”

Another round of laughter filled the group, until Poe looked up to see a familiar dark head of hair across the bar, black eyes watching two young women as they swiveled on the bar stools.

“So what’s the deal with Ren?” Poe asked, motioning towards the subject in question with his chin.

Snap swirled his drink around in his glass and took a sip. “Ben Solo thinks he’s all high and mighty because he’s got family ties to this place. Yet, nobody can stand him. If you were to look up ‘arrogance’ in the dictionary, you’d find a picture of him.”

“Along with a picture of a small dick,” Echo added. Finn almost snorted his drink back into its glass and Poe barked out a short laugh.

“So wait, you said ‘Ben Solo?’” Suddenly, thoughts flooded Poe’s mind and he squeezed his eyes shut as the realization hit him. “As in… ‘Han Solo?!’”

Snap nodded. “Yep, the very one.”

“Ren is General Leia Organa and Admiral Han Solo’s _son_?!” The volume in Poe’s voice grew a little louder than he intended, drawing in some glances from a group next to them.

“And there it is,” Finn said, clapping a hand on Poe’s shoulder.

“Shit, how am I supposed to compete with that?”

“By showing him what we’re made of and giving him the best possible view of the backside of a Growler.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Forget about him, Poe,” Echo reassured him, glancing towards Ren, “You’ll outrun him no problem. But hey, it was great meeting you two. The rest of our squad just got here and they’re a little new to the social scene. Gotta keep them out of trouble and somewhat sober. Finn, Poe.” She and Snap shook each of their hands before they headed back towards the entrance. “See you in the skies!”

Poe threw up a hand in acknowledgement. He was just about to order another beer when Ren appeared right in front of him.

“Poe Dameron. I hear a lot about you.” Ren’s voice was deep and accusatory. “Or, I’m sorry, should I call you ‘Slick’ instead?”

The mere mention of his call sign was enough to raise Poe’s blood pressure and bring a red heat to his neck.

“No, it’s Dameron. Poe Dameron. Can I help you with something?”

“Actually you can. You can kindly piss off and keep your head down for the next two months. I don’t know what kind of game you’re trying to pull here, but you’re not beating me. My name is going on that trophy and if you think that some backwoods farmer is going to take it away from me, then you’re damn well wrong. So get off it.”

A heat of rage swirled in Poe’s stomach and he involuntarily clenched his fist. Poe’s muscles were drawing up, already savoring the satisfying _*crunch*_ of cartilage under his knuckles-

Suddenly, Finn was between the two of them, staring Ren down.

“Look, Solo, I suggest you step off right now. No one’s here to knock you off your golden throne so just run on back to your groupies, ‘kay? We’ll see who the best pilot is come graduation. If you can keep up, that is.”

Ren was silent for a moment, as if he wanted to spit something back at Finn, but decided against it. He let out an aggravated huff of breath and walked off.

“Asshole,” Finn muttered. He and Poe turned back around to the bar and ordered two beers. “Alright, let’s get back to the fun part of tonight. Let’s make a bet.”

“Aw, Finn, no, come on.”

“Twenty dollars.”

“Finn-”

“Twenty dollars that you gain some... _intimate_ knowledge about one of the many girls here.”

“Does Rose know you do this?!”

“Poe, buddy, Rose gives me the ideas.”

“Oh my god-”

“Twenty dollars. Go.”

Poe grabbed the frosted beer bottle that had appeared and took a sip. He scanned the room, quickly looking away from any girl who made eye contact with him. Of course he would have no problem winning the bet. All through basic he had to practically slip out the back door of every bar he went to just so he could avoid all the women who had developed an instant infatuation with him that evening. Not that he did it on purpose. Poe was a charmer and he knew it. His hotshot personality only added to his handsome complexion and it almost became a sort of game to see how many hearts he could break in one night. Always teasing, always skirting around the concept of commitment, but his dad’s words of advice always came back to him.

_“You keep testing fate and eventually it’s going to come up behind you and knock you flat on your ass. Don’t mess with a woman’s heart, son. You’re no better than anyone else and commitment is not something you just easily spend away. You’ve got to give it to earn it.”_

Poe’s thoughts started to idly drift back to his home when his eyes caught sight of a young woman sitting across the room. She was at a table with another couple, the man being a pilot that Poe recognized as one of his classmates. Her smile was bright when she laughed and Poe watched for a second as she listened to the other girl at the table talk. Her brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail and it lightly swished as she looked between the two others she was sitting with. Poe waited for a second to see if anyone else joined them at the table. When he decided it was safe to approach, he nudged Finn to turn around.

“11 o’clock. I think someone’s completely lost that loving feeling. Wouldn’t you say?”

“I think so, buddy. Let’s go.”

Poe crossed the room and approached the table he was watching a moment earlier. Three pairs of eyes looked up at him, and for a short moment he forgot how to speak when he looked down into one pair that was a beautiful hazel.

“Um, excuse me, I just thought maybe you all could use a plus one to even out the fun and all.”

On his cue, Finn approached and put his hand up. “I’m sorry, miss, I’ll take care of my friend here.”

And suddenly, Finn struck a dramatic pose, leaning to the left as Poe leaned to the right.

_“You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips.  
And there’s no tenderness like before in your fingertips.”_

Poe raised up and lazily pointed to the brown-haired girl. Her cheeks flushed pink as she looked over at her friends, wide-eyed and clearly unable to speak out of shock.

_“You’re trying hard not to show it.  
But baby.. baby I know it.”_

Suddenly, many more voices around the impromptu group joined in Poe’s singing.

_“You’ve lost that lovin’ feelin’  
Whoa that lovin’ feelin’”_

By this time, the entire room was joining in.

_"You’ve lost that lovin’ feelin’_  
Now it’s gone, gone, gone…  
Whoooa, whooa, whooa…” 

The bright-eyed girl applauded and everyone else was applauding and cheering. The crowd whistled and yelled, Poe gave a few over-exaggerated bows, and Finn was toasting his beer with another pilot. When it all calmed down, everyone that had gathered around the table just a moment ago carried on and went back to their own drinks and friends.

“Alright, hotshot, sit down.” The girl smiled at Poe and watched him as he pulled a chair up to the table.

He rested his chin in his hand and returned her smile. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

The other couple sitting at the table stood up and the pilot looked over at his girlfriend. “We’re going to go get another round of drinks. We’ll be back.” The girl looped her arm through the pilot’s arm and as they passed he gave Poe a friendly clap on the shoulder. “Nice one, buddy. You’ve got more guts than anyone in this place.”

“Thanks,” Poe replied. He watched the two of them walk towards the bar and when he was sure they were out of earshot, he turned back to the brown-haired girl in front of him.

“So do you sing for every girl you meet the first time, or is this a once-in-a-lifetime experience?” She rested an elbow on the table and leaned on her arm casually, throwing Poe a smirk.

“It depends on if you want to see me more than once in your lifetime.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Then that’s a regret you’ll have to wrestle with yourself, sweetheart.”

“Look at you, so sure of yourself. Be careful with a big ego like that. Along with all that brass on your uniform there, you’ll be too heavy for the Growlers to get you in the sky. And don’t call me ‘sweetheart.’”

“Okay, then, what should I call you?”

“Flattered.” The girl stood up from the table and Poe instinctively reached out and took her hand.

“Okay, look, I’m sorry. It was a stupid bet I made with my friend. He likes to push my buttons sometimes. You seem really nice and if this really is a once-in-a-lifetime meeting, then I’d like to at least tell you that you look beautiful tonight.”

The girl stared at Poe, her lips parted in surprise, the pink flush returning to her cheeks. He stared back, unable to look away from her. She gave off an air of determination and stubbornness and something about her made it hard for Poe to simply walk away. It was almost like she was trying to play her own kind of game with him.

“Thank you,” she quietly spoke, slipping her hand out of Poe’s, “And good luck up there.” She turned away and Poe peered around the many people to watch as she joined her friends from earlier at the other end of the bar. Poe let out an aggravated groan and shoved the chair underneath the table. He furiously ran a hand through his dark curls and tried to look for Finn in the crowd of people.

_Real smooth, Dameron. First night at Top Gun and you’ve already managed to embarrass yourself._

When he couldn’t find Finn, Poe decided to step outside to clear his head out in the fresh air. He stood on the deck, arms resting on the railing, staring at the surface of the dark pond, wishing it would just swallow him up so he would never have to remember this night ever again.

“You know, it really was a great performance.” A voice came up behind Poe and he looked over his shoulder to see who had pulled him from his thoughts. It was the bright-eyed girl he sang to. His heart raced as she stood next to him at the railing. “I’m Rey, by the way.” She held out her hand and Poe gently shook it.

“Poe. Poe Dameron.”

“What, no call sign?”

“I have one. I just don’t like to use it.”

“Why not?”

“It’s… a long story.”

“Well, Poe, maybe we’ll meet again soon and you can put it all in a song.”

Poe chuckled as Rey smiled at him, the bright smile he saw earlier.

“Maybe.”

“I just wanted to come say, be careful up there. Not everyone’s got your back like you think.”

“Thanks. I think.” He gave her a confused look.

“Some people will do whatever they can to win that trophy. To them, it’s more than just a title. And they’ll take out the competition in any way possible. Just watch your back.”

“How do you know so much about Top Gun? I don’t see you in a uniform.”

“I’m not a pilot, no, not in the same way you are. But I have my connections.” Poe could have sworn he saw a smirk playing at the corner of her mouth, but just as quickly as the thought appeared, it was gone. “I think your friend is looking for you.”

Poe straightened to turn around and saw Finn looking over top of people’s heads. It was getting late and he figured the alcohol was starting to hit him as it usually did after a few hours. “That’s my cue.”

Rey walked beside him as they came back through the doorway, Finn spotting them and shuffling through the crowd.

“Make sure he pays up later,” Rey muttered to Poe.

“What?”

“Hey, man, your night turn out alright?” Finn raised an eyebrow and looked at Poe with a smug expression.

“Yeah, pretty good, actually.”

“It was great. Your friend was amazing.” Rey stepped up beside Poe and brushed one of his stray curls back. The feeling of her fingers in his hair sent a chill down Poe’s spine, despite it being warm all throughout the room.

Finn’s jaw dropped and Poe leaned back on his heels. Rey walked in front of him as she headed back towards the bar and joined her friends from before. She looked back at Poe one last time before her group headed out through one of the other doors to leave.

“Dammit, Poe. That was the only cash I had on me.”

“Hey, it was your idea.”

Finn grumbled as he headed back outside where they were parked. Poe followed him, his heart racing in his chest. He wasn’t sure if it was from the excitement of the entire evening or the thought of a beautiful brown-haired girl who casually helped him become twenty dollars richer. It wasn’t the same excitement Poe got when he was in the cockpit of his Growler. It was different this time. Whatever it was, Poe knew he wanted to feel it again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I wanted to get this chapter out earlier, but I got sick over the weekend. But it's here now!
> 
> If you click [here](https://www.ridenow.com/--blog-10-most-popular-sport-bikes-of-2017), Poe's Yamaha is the YZF-R3 that's first on the list.
> 
> Also, I'm taking some liberties with scenes and dialogue from the movie. Some lines I just don't think fit the characters quite right and some things I just want to write a little differently. I think it'll keep things interesting, though!
> 
> Stay tuned for the next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe realizes he may have gotten in over his head. Not that he's going to complain.

A slight breeze blew through the hangar as the pilots attempted to focus on Wedge explaining government security clearance. Poe pulled at the collar of his undershirt, trying to lure in some of the breeze. Beside him, Finn twirled his pen between his fingers. The rest of the class shifted in their seats, silent, but attentive.

“In certain cases, civilian contractors are better than any Navy officer simply due to the fact that they can be the eyes and ears in the public. The government has given them specific authorization and has hired them to be the link between the people and the military. One such civilian contractor has come on board our team here at Top Gun, but you do not salute her. However, you will listen to her, you will learn from her, and you will be at her mercy.”

The sound of heels clicking against the concrete came up from behind them. Poe watched as a lean figure strode past him. This figure almost seemed familiar…

“Pilots, it is my honor to introduce to you Rey Skywalker, call sign Nova. Aerospace engineer, physicist, and top amateur pilot at Hosnian Training Base.”

When the figure turned around, Poe’s stomach lurched and his breakfast rolled.

It was _her._

Except instead of the loose ponytail from last night, her hair was now in a strict bun. The collar of her white blouse was starch straight and there wasn’t a wrinkle to be seen anywhere on her navy blue pencil skirt. She nodded to the class, but when she met Poe’s shocked gaze, a smug grin crept into her expression.

If it was physically possible to melt into a puddle on the floor, Poe would have done it. Instead, he could only turn his chin away and down, whispering to Finn.

“Oh my _god_ , man, it’s _her._ ”

“ _Shit._ ”

“Thank you, Captain Antilles.” Rey’s words were different today, more formal, as she addressed the entire class. “I look forward to working with all of you and being on your team. Recently I’ve been working with the Department of Defense in researching radar detection capabilities and the effects different aircraft designs will have on them. As you all have probably heard, some enemy jets like the 313s are becoming more advanced with their radar detection, easily able to spot almost anything in the sky, even our own Growlers. We have to stay a step ahead.”

Poe continued to whisper to Finn, “No, dude, remember it was the 313 on that day.”

“Oh, yeah, you’re right. How close did we get before he spotted us? Couple meters? Three?”

“Maybe, three, yeah, I think-”

“Lieutenant.” Poe’s attention was forced to Rey as she called on him. Great.

“Yes, ma’am?”

“Is there something you’d like to discuss with the rest of your fellow teammates that you feel is more important than the information I’m relaying to you?”

“No, ma’am, it’s just… well…”

He glanced over at Finn who gave him a single, approving nod.

“It’s just that 313s really don’t have superior radar detection like we’re led to believe. A Growler in the right hands can get pretty close on their tail before they even realize what’s happening.”

“And where did you see this?”

“Uh, it’s classified. Ma’am.” He shifted in his seat and leaned forward, a small smirk playing on his mouth. “I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.” A chuckle came from the back row.

“Lieutenant, I have the highest security clearance. The government sees to it that I know more than you.”

“Well, it seems that they failed to update you in this case.”

Rey returned the smirk and crossed her arms. She almost seemed to be enjoying teasing him, like she was making a game of trying to trip him up. “Tell me, Lieutenant. Where exactly were you when you encountered this 313?”

“Oh, well, _we_ -” Poe motioned with his thumb over to Finn next to him, “were coming up on his six. Low-altitude zone, tried to sneak up on one of our guys. Crept right up behind them then gave the Growler a good punch. Asshole didn’t even know we were above him until he saw the flash of the camera. Great picture, actually. Has the sunlight coming in at the just the right angle-”

“You were _above_ a 313?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“If you were above him, how did you get a picture of him?”

Poe leaned back in his chair, twisting his wrists around each other. He put the backs of his together and made a downward swooping motion. “Because I was inverted.”

“ _Bullshit._ ” The word was disguised as a fake cough, followed by laughter. It was Ren, and a few of his buddies laughed.

Finn turned around in his seat and threw a cheeky grin at Ren. “No, man, it was great. Brilliant move. Smooth enough to make even your pale baby asscheeks quiver.”

Howls of laughter erupted among the men. Poe kept his eyes fixed on Rey, the smirk creeping back into his lips.

After rolling her eyes at Poe, Rey held up her hand and yelled, “Alright, alright, shut up. Get a hold of yourselves.” When the laughing quieted down, she leaned back on her heels, crossed her arms again, and eyed Poe. “So, you mean to tell me, you were in a low-altitude zone and in an _inverted_ close-combat position with a Qaher-313?”

Poe gave her a quick nod. “Yes, ma’am.”

She sighed and shook her head. Shifting her position, her hands went to her hips and one of her eyebrows cocked up in question. “And just what were you doing there?”

“Oh, communicating,” Finn chimed in, “You know, strengthening foreign relations. Taking a Polaroid since it’ll last longer, y’know?”

“Yes, Finn, I know. Thank you.” Her eyes snapped from Finn back over to Poe. “So. You’re the one.”

He flashed her a wide, smug grin. “Yes, ma’am. I am.”

“Alright, gentlemen,” Wedge clapped his hands together loudly to bring their attention to him, “Get into gear. We have a hop to take. Hard deck on this hop will be 10,000 feet. No engagement below that. Be ready in 15. Change underwear if you need to.”

Poe stood up as the rest of the men shuffled towards the hangar exit. He and Rey caught each other’s eyes instantly, and for a moment she acted like she wanted to say something. Instead she just gave a small snort and rolled her eyes. Poe watched her walk away as Finn elbowed him in the ribs.

“She must have roughed you up good last night, mate.”

“Something like that.”

\---

Poe and Finn walked down the hall to grab their gear for the hop. They were about to round the corner when Rey’s voice called out behind them.

“Lieutenant!” Her heels clicked on the tile as Poe turned.

Finn jokingly straightened the collar on Poe’s flight suit, and patted his shoulder. “You look great, sweetheart. Make me proud.” He walked off and gave Poe a thumbs up.

Poe gave a nod with his chin. “Thanks, dear. See you in pre-flight.”

Rey stood directly in front of Poe and eyed him. She smiled at him, but her eyes had a playful expression in them. “When were you going to tell me you were a famous 313 consultant?”

“Would it have made any difference?”

“Probably not, no.”

“Well, what would have?”

She scoffed at him and shook her head. “I am an instructor at this school. I see 20 new hotshot pilots every 8 weeks, all of them trying to get me into bed with them or show me what the ‘best cockpit’ is. I’m sure you could figure it out. You seem to be an expert in getting into unique... _positions._ ”

Poe could feel his cheeks flare, but remained stone still. He refused to be broken this early into the game. “I’m an expert in a lot of things, actually. Some of them might surprise you.”

“All I’m saying is I’d like to hear more about the 313 sometime.”

Poe crossed his arms and leaned back, giving her a shrug. “You’ve got security clearance. You can read about it.”

“I learn better with hands-on experience.”

There was the heat again. _Dammit._ “I might take you up on that offer sometime.”

“I look forward to it.” They kept locked on to each other’s eyes before Rey broke off and made her way back outside. “Don’t you have a hop to get ready for? Don’t want to keep your better half waiting.”

“Of course.”

As she disappeared around the corner of the building Poe sucked in a deep breath. He’d found a new and difficult challenge. And he liked it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: "I was inverted" is my favorite quote in the entire movie. I had way too much fun writing this chapter.


End file.
